Columbia bans marching band from game

Kieran Darcy is an ESPNNewYork.com staff writer. He joined ESPN in August 2000 after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, where he played four years of JV basketball.
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The Columbia athletic department has banned the school's marching band from performing at its final football game of the season, at home against Brown on Saturday.

The decision came following the band's performance after Columbia's 62-41 loss at Cornell last week. After every game, win or lose, the Columbia band plays the school fight song: "Roar, Lion, Roar." But last Saturday, the band altered the lyrics to highlight the team's recent struggles -- the Lions are now 0-9 on the season.

"The Athletics Program welcomes the band to our football games to promote school spirit and provide fan entertainment," reads a statement from the school's athletic department. "We believe the actions of the band on Saturday, Nov. 12, were inappropriate and embarrassed our student-athletes, coaches, parents, and fans."